1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to mounting semiconductor ingots to a mounting beam. In particular, the invention relates to controlling the force used to hold a semiconductor ingot and mounting beam together when bonding the two together.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor wafers are typically formed by first growing a relatively large semiconductor ingot, or crystal, from molten semiconductor material. The semiconductor ingot typically has a cylindrical shape, and disc-shaped wafers are individually cut from the ingot.
The semiconductor wafer manufacturing process is carefully controlled to produce wafers having uniform and predictable parameters, including bow, warp, thickness, taper, crystallographic orientation and/or surface appearance. To produce semiconductor wafers having desired properties, it is important that the semiconductor ingot be held very firmly during wafer cutting. One method for firmly holding a semiconductor ingot during cutting involves mounting the ingot to a cutting or mounting beam by an epoxy resin. Thus, the semiconductor ingot can be held firmly in place during wafer cutting by firmly mounting the mounting beam in the cutting apparatus.
Since the stability of the semiconductor ingot in the cutting apparatus depends upon the quality of the bond between the mounting beam and the semiconductor ingot, it is important to assure that the ingot is properly bonded to the mounting beam. Thus, an apparatus or method for assuring a quality bond between the mounting beam and the semiconductor ingot is needed.